Blackened Souls
by ditchertypepersonBUM
Summary: She lived under Gero's rule and tortures, he lived under Freize's comand. Both escaped only to find themselves thrown together. With powers and abilities will they be able to right the wrongs born upon them? Or will they find themselves taking on more t
1. Cat and Mouse

Venom spat from her mouth at any who dared to look at her.  Accepting nothing she refused all the handouts.  Choosing to starve rather than eat their food.  Go cold and uncomfortable than take the blanket.  The clothes were another matter.  'I'd die first.'  She thought looking to the skimpy scrap of cloth that had yet to be claimed.  She didn't care much either way.  'Kami preserve me I don't think I ever did anything to deserve this.'  She thought, returning her head to the sanctuary of her knees.  She had claimed the farthest, darkest, corner as her own.  Had to knee one man and nearly break the arm of a girl to do so but now that it was brought to attention that she was far from being as delicate and helpless as she outwardly appeared, she was left to her own musings.  In all reality half of the living in the room were terrified of her, she only need to show the mark on her right forearm to prove herself capable of warding off anybody.  Everybody else that was ignorant to what the mark meant used her demonstration of pain distribution as an excuse to leave her be.  Her ears perked at the sound of approaching guards.  Many sounds off steps and moving feet.  'More captives.'  She stated matter-of-factly in her mind.  The door opened and the rest of her roomies learned of the newest additions.  She recognized a few of the captives as the light spilled into the cell.  She let out a hiss to warn them that she was present, they took the hint and fled to the opposite side of the room, those clueless did not follow.  One approached her, ignored warnings, and sat at her side, both deciding that it would conserve warmth if they were huddled together.  

"Somehow I'm not surprised to see you."  Her new companion announced, joy in her voice at seeing her, mixed with sorrow that she found out she had not escaped.  "Looks like you've made your corner."

"Would you expect anything less of me?  I tangoed twice and the rest was by reputation.  Cowards."

"Smart cowards for a few of them.  So how bad is the situation."

"No better then what we just left."

"Shit."  Her seatmate made no move to leave as the silence reined over the two.  Food was brought in and she too flat out refused to _attempt_ at digesting the slop that was described as food.  "Be it ever so humble…" She sang grouching-ly.

"There's no place like home."  She finished.  "Kami I could almost wish I let myself die, I didn't do it before due to the fact that it would pleasure Gero."  

"Amen to _that_ sister."  Just then a new set of guards entered, but what tailed them was not another batch of prisoners, but rather a small looking…man?  Well alien, no _human _but close enough in shape and form.  A few extra eyes, smaller and shocking white hair, though that might have been due to age since he looked old enough to be both girls _grandfather's_ father.  With much shoving and startled noises all had been assembled in three equal lines and rows.  The last being herself.  Both choked with repressed indignation at what happened next.  The tiny man was asking questions of each prisoner, _personal_, questions to a few.  And from what she could see the personal ones were toward the pretty women and the few handsome men.  She narrowed her gaze to a piercing blue when he glanced her way.  She smirked when a shiver ran down his frame.  _He_ smirked when one of the guards hit the underside of her head as punishment.  Hissing out in warning she sounded in the exact way of a cat giving warning.  The small man twitched and looked to her with wide eyes.  She grinned inwardly and licked her lips; the man was mouse like, as she was feline in her way.  He knew she had found out of his ancestry, and that it gave her power over him.  A guard blocked her from his view when he questioned her friend.  He had decided her pretty, thus personal.

"Virgin?"

"Unknown."  Came the reply in a clipped tone.  

"What?  How is _that_ possible?"  She need not see her friend to know the ice blue glare that was being given from her pale eyes.

"I.  Won't.  Tell.  You.  Therefore unknown to you.  Next question."

"Age?"  He started, sounding more than a little disturbed.  

'Just wait till he asks _me_ that.'  She thought gleefully.

"Eighteen."

"Name."

"18."

"What?  Answer me right girl?"

"My name is 18, I have no other name and no more to go with it."  The man gave up and finally reached the last in the line.  He was two feet from her with a guard close by.

'Chicken.'  She scoffed.  'Or is it mouse?'  She repressed the action of displaying her amusement.

"Virgin?"  He sounded almost meek; he had a right to be.

"Status: M.Y.O.B."  She replied, sounding much like a machine.  18 grinned at her side; _she_ knew why she did this.  It drove the interrogator _mad_.

"How?"  He began, she cut him off.

"Mind, your, own, business, same as 18."  Her voice warned him that if he wished to keep in good health he dare not ask more on the subject.

"Age?"

"Sixteen, five months, fourteen days, seven hours, twelve-minutes, thirty-six seconds, and counting."  '_Damn_ I love my internal clock at times like this.'  He gave an annoyed look and she projected the sweet innocent look that had graced her with many a scoff from those who knew her.  

"Name?"

"Vice President of Capsule Corporation, heir and prodigy of Dr. Briefs.  Name: Bulma Briefs."

_Well?  Just thought of it and I decided that I would post my works though not necessarily work on them instantly.  Sorry if you hate it Review if you like it.  What do you think?  Questions?  Confused?_

_GOOD!!!_

_Review!_

**~BUM~**


	2. Roshi Road-Kill

Both girls resumed their space when the tiny man left.  "Show off."  18 muttered, giving a mock bow of congratulations as she said it.

"Briefs?"  One voice came.  "Come here girl."  The voice was old and both girls could tell that it came from an elderly man.  Bulma could smell that death was not far from him as she neared the speaker.  People made haste to break a path for her as she moved in frightening grace.  Upon sight she felt her heart lurch.

"Roshi?"

"Bulma?  Yes its you, I can feel it now."  He gave into a fit of coughing and Bulma did what she could to comfort the aged man.  "So little missy you're alive eh?"  She smiled taking hold of his chin and bringing his gaze a little higher than below her neck.  "Can't blame a man for trying."

"You'll never change.  Did you just come in?"  He nodded and she looked to her friend who could only shrug.  "I."  She faltered looking her old friend in the eye.  "Muten Roshi, you haven't, I mean, have you?"

"Seen the others?  No.  Heard some familiar screeching in the halls on our way here if you catch my drift."  She did, her eyes widened and she grinned a beautiful smile.  "Ah that's my Bulma, you're still in there.  Be strong girl."  "Hentai."  She murmured affectionately, catching his hand that had stroked her cheek before it could brush against her chest.  Her face faltered when she felt him entering his last moments.  

"I know girl, its better this way."  She nodded feeling something wet hit her hand.  Looking to it she took in the drop of water.  Was she crying?  She hadn't done such a thing in near a year.  

"Well, maybe you'll get to find a lady who can stand you in the afterlife."  She whispered.  "Say high to Mr. Turtle for me and the Ox King will you?  Don't forget Mommy and Daddy."  He nodded, knowing that even after the front she had displayed earlier she was still very much the carrying girl he had known not so very long ago.  With one last breath he let his soul free from its mortal shell.  

Letting out a howl of anguish Bulma felt all her barricades cave in upon themselves.  She had holed herself up away from her sorrows, knowing her sanity would be at risk if she had let them come.  But with having seen the old Turtle Hermit again she could only wish for how things had once been.  She felt the arms of 18 wrap around her as she pounded the metal floor, bruising her palms and causing little damage to the surface.  Turning she was soon crying heart wrenching sobs into the gray dress that both girls wore.  Later she would come back to herself, in her corner, in the arms of 18.  But at the moment she was a mindless hurricane of inner turmoil.  

18 could do very little to help her friend.  She herself displayed little emotion other than cruelty and amusement.  She was a flirt but there was no emotion behind her playful toying of men.  Bulma had been the first she had ever seen to be able to defy Gero and still keep her mind in tact.  It seemed she had not just taken it all in stride, but rather held it all inside herself.  Now it was being let out, she was not so heartless to think less of the girl.  Young as she was she had a brain and more experience than her years ever should have allowed in many things.  18 had seen her kill, not in cold blood, but rather defense.  She bore many scars for that bit of honor, not all being of the physical variety.  Lifting her friend she glared at any who   dare to get in her way, her reputation as dangerous was just as lethal as Bulma's.  Until Bulma, there had been no other in her life.  She had long ago given up all ties to her brother.  Unfortunately having been his twin could allow her only to go so far; now that he was dead she felt an odd sense of peace.  Though she hadn't the faintest idea as to how long it would last.  With little movement she had them curled up in the corner.  She didn't know what the next day would bring, but she had the feeling that things would take a turn for the worse before any relief was in sight.  

It was not a long wait, soon all his challengers were in need of regen tanks.  Only Kakkarrot remained.  He had not stepped forward.   He had made the move to then halted, with out asking permission to leave the third class left the room.  Anger and curiosity had him tail the younger man.  He stopped by the barracks of bulk slaves and was met by a short bald man.  Both needed only a glance at the other to make them nod.  "Kakkarrot I demand and explanation."  He declared bringing his presence to note.

"Something happened."  The Sayain mumbled.  Closing his eyes, the prince knew that his sparring companion was tracking something.  "Muten Roshi."  He mumbled just before all but tearing down the hallway.  The one that, incidentally, led to the new slave quarters.  Following the older man his curiosity overran his anger at being ignored.  He tailed him right into the filthy, smelly, room.  The weaklings scattered as Kakkarrot made his way for the newly dead man.  "Roshi."  His voice whispered, Vegeta could hear more pain in that one word than he had ever heard expressed before in his life.  "You always wondered who tutored me Vegeta.  This is he."  He did not get in the way of the younger man when he left the chamber.  He knew not where he was heading but he knew he would give the elder a dignified sending off, not throw him in the incinerator.  As he was about to leave he paused, something in the room tugged at him.  Not necessarily at his mind but at _him_.  But when he tried to find the source of his uneasiness he found it too weak.  Giving in for the time being he left the room.  Blissfully ignorant of the woman that would be the end of him, and the beginning, the link to his greatest joy, and deepest fears, in short, his destiny.  

Well?  What do you think?  I've introduced all the main characters and set up the usual.  

"**YOU IDIOT WHY DIDN'T YOU ****SEE HER**?!"

And so forth.  Well just wait, all the z-gang will be together and so will Bulma soon…sort of.  I have no idea where I'm going with this so bare with me.

_As always, review._

~BUM~


	3. Killing Time...Is Killing Me(part of a s...

He had sent the little monkeys away.  The odd one had been strangely subdued but he could not find out why.  Taking yet another sip of his blood wine he watched his solders work in frenzy around him, all doing their best not to draw his attention to them.  Looking to his two, newly acquired pets he grinned maliciously.  Shooting his tail out the nearest worker fell into the pit that held his two kittens.  His screams of agony though loud, were short.  The two Hellcats were vicious and beautiful at the same time.  All of the men in the room froze.  "I'm bored."  He announced, all in the room gulped.  All save for Zarbon who had just entered.  The green man kneeled and requested permission to speak.  Curious he allowed his second to explain his idea.

"Why not hold a death match.  Say with the new slaves we acquired on the station we…obtained a week ago.  Most of the cargo was aggressive and volatile.  They may prove interesting."  Frieze thought it over and let a cruel grin grace his face.  

"Do it."

It didn't take long for Bulma to lose her short temper.  No one had been able to tell her about the pair of men that had taken Roshi.  But at the moment she had to make the annoyance only her second priority.  It seemed all who bore the brand of Gero on their body in some location had been gathered and put in separate cages.  From what she could see they were planning on setting them against each other.  It didn't hurt that they had neglected to _feed_ them for the past few days.  Once again she was not eating.  She had developed the ability to go without food or drink for weeks, not feeling the strain.  18 need not eat at all.  Not to say she couldn't, just had no need for the nutrients.  Others though…need food constantly to maintain their sanity.  She couldn't find her blond friend.  But considering you couldn't tell what color their skin was let alone their hair from beneath all the dirt, grease, and other unknown substances that layered their skin it didn't much matter, they could always find each other no matter what the ruckus.  She didn't move when the cage opened, she _did _step out of the tiny compartment.  She knew she would have to defend herself but only from those who had lost their wits.  All feared Bulma in death matches; she had no doubt that this was just that.  'Enter the star gladiator.'  She thought only having to _look_ at her approaching enemy to make him back down.  She controlled her transformation well.  She was not going to go so far as to complete it, only brought her fangs in and her hands grew claws.  Her throat changed so that a low menacing growl could be given off.  She had to slash at the throat of one berserker, many followed after that.  She felt the hem of her already short dress going to shreds but her life was more important than the potatoes sack she wore.  It did not take her long to find her back against that of her friend, who, instead of hands, held two blades to fend off her attackers.  They did not stay beside each other for long, preferring to move as they 'danced' with their partners.  When at last there was only on more enemy he needed only to take one look at them to decide that slitting his own throat was the safer choice.  Looking up she caught site of her friend across the arena.  She could see that her hands had replaced the blades and that she had stolen a mans pair of pants, Bulma, incidentally, had done the same along with pulling a shirt that had been slit down the middle over the top of her dress.  They could hear the calls cheering them to attack the other.  Both merely walked to the other and sat down in the bloodied floor they had battled on.  

"That was pointless."  18 remarked looking towards the guards that were coming to retrieve them.  

"I think we're in trouble."  Bulma added amusement in her voice.  This was not a first for the duo.  They had fought but once, their meeting, they had soon figured out that they were only going by defense and had halted in the attack of the other.  Gero had not been pleased with them, nor had 17.  Neither objected overly much when they were pushed and shoved to the control room.

18 could just _see_ the cogs turning the in younger girls mind.  She _was_ after all the daughter of a scientist and had surpassed the man long ago in her innocent youth.  Looking forward she met eyes with a lizard looking…thing.

"You did not fight each other."  He growled, she could _almost_ hear it as a whine.

"What quarrel is their between us?"  She answered.  "She and I are partners, not bounty hunters."  The thing looked to Bulma and she took her cue to give her explanation.

"You saw many turn away from us, even kill themselves before attempting to battle us.  We have a reputation that was known in our ranks."  

'An answer with no answer.  Very good Bulma.'  She cheered mentally.  She knew that Bulma was not bad at metal games.  'She should have been a spy.'  

"Punish them."  He ordered, a man with green skin grabbed her arm and neared it to a pot of what her sensors were saying was a very hot substance.  Grinning inwardly she allowed him to push her hand in, not making a sound.  What they didn't know was that she was nearly all synthetic; she had in all reality retracted her hand into her forearm.  Glancing to her friend she saw the blue haired girl grin wickedly and nod.  With no warning she shoved her arm into the liquid up to her elbow.  The green man's hand went in to his wrist.  _He_ screamed.  She was released and they all could see she had no arm to the point of her elbow.  

When the green guy screamed her captor had released her, only to be shoved by another into a pit.  Looking about she saw the two cat-like creatures before her.  The only reason they hadn't already attacked was that she had caught them unaware.  Hissing she let them know she was not going to go down easy.  Meeting the eyes of the one she knew in charge she let him see her wild side.  The one that displayed her competence, her low growl didn't hurt either.  Both lowered their hackles in an instant and she relaxed.  They would not harm her; she had proven herself to be a hunter and one that would not become their prey.  Moving forward she scratched them behind the ears, earning delighted purrs.  From what she could tell they were feline for the most part, most likely not big jumpers by the looks of their legs but powerful runners.  Looking up she saw the stunned looks of the guards and the amazed gaze of the one in charge.  18 somehow made her way to the edge of the pit and held out her stump.  Unsurprisingly the rest of her arm shot from it and Bulma could reach it.  Effortlessly her friend pulled her out.  'Time to face the firing squad.'  She thought Looking back to the pack of wolves that surrounded them.  

He looked to them, both filthy beyond the ability to tell if they were anything other than male or female.  Zarbon's hand had been his own fault for not having paid attention.  "Send them to the chamber fighters.  Split them up, I don't want them ever to see the other again unless it in the ring.  There, see how they handle not having the other.  Both would be sold to one of the many traveling gladiator ships.  Maybe they would survive, most likely they would die.  They did not appear to be of a powerful upbringing, both delicate in appearance.  But he over most knew that appearances could be deceiving.

Bye bye 18!!  See you in a little while!  Bulma get ready to meet you love that you never thought you'd want to see.  Goku shouldn't hurt either.  But what of Napa?  Radditz?  Sexist pigs of course!  Well time to escape Frieze my horny Sayains.  Until next time my minions.  

_REVIEW!!!!!_

_~BUM~_


	4. Rank One Fighter

Struggling like no tomorrow 18 did her best to keep her younger 'sister' in view.  "Do it!"  She ordered, of the pair Bulma was for the most part the leader of the two, but she had age to pull rank with at times.

"But."  Her eyes pleaded, as brave as Bulma's outward appearance was she was usually terrified.  18 knew that she had good reason to be, Gero had focused his attentions on the genius many times, it was a wonder she was sane let alone alive.  

"Do it!  I know you can!"  With that she lost site of her only friend.  The two men at her sides were stronger than her and even though she knew they would leave marks on her skin she knew that she would not feel it unless she allowed her sensors to finish their transmissions.  But she was taken off guard when they slammed the back of her head into the wall.  As her vision went blank she felt her body be thrown over one of the frustrated guards shoulder.  All she could do was grunt before she was out cold.

She was not as strong as her blond haired friend, in all truth she was versed more in the mental category of battle.  Using their own force, weight, and attacks against _them_ as apposed to _her_.    But when they had her by both arms and held strength she couldn't match at her present state she was helpless to fight them off by force.  So she screamed at the top of her lungs in all the languages she knew.  Her arsenal of insults were inventive, and many.  They had removed the translators from them and both girls had been deaf to their language without them.  She gave a grunt when one slammed his fist into her gut, efficiently knocking the wind from her lungs.  By the time she had recovered they had shoved her into a room.  Both made some remarks and she could not make heads or tales of the meaning.  She was sure they were not of the sexual category due to lack of leering and that she hadn't had a bath in literally over a year.  He nose was, sufficient to say, numb of her personal scent.  'Kami that hurt.'  She thought feeling the already forming bruise.  A little higher and at best he would have cracked a few ribs.  

Looking around her she could spot the privy corner, the poor condition of the filthy cell.  Her eyes adjusted well to the dark and she could have told anyone where anything was in the room.  Stretching out she, for the first time, let her body pull every muscle at ease.  Before her cage had been too small for such a luxury.  In her previous cell she had been too busy conserving warmth.  Fights never counted, feeling her body relax slightly she curled up in the corner.  She was too tired to think of escape at the moment.  

She was alerted from her sleep instantly when the clang of a food dish was pushed through a slot in the door.  Moving towards it she could tell by site alone that it was better than what she had been given before.  She hadn't seen her reflection but she was sure that they were trying to make her appear healthier by giving her something to add meat to her bones.  Sniffing the roll of bread she could find nothing amiss with it other than a little harmless mold.  Tearing into it she discovered it to be stale, it was still better than what had been offered earlier or the tasteless mush Gero had distributed to his victims.  The meat was relished, even though she could taste the toxin that was to make anyone normally crave water over all.  She was immune to it along with the other many 'treats' that had been hidden in her food.  They obviously wanted to make a spectacle of her; they were barking up the wrong tree if they thought what they were doing was going to work on her.  Looking around she could tell that she had slept well through the 'night' and that it was roughly five-ish in the morning.  She was too tired to think about the exact time as she had the week prior.  Walking around she found that it was difficult to pace when you had only enough room to make a decent sized closet.  Being about six feet by five.  In a few days she had begun to notice a few things.  Her muscles ached from having so much unaccustomed freedom of movement, she had lost site of a few of her ribs, and that she was bored to near tears.  So it was just her luck when the door opened and a cloth-covered figure was thrown into the cell.  She moved just in time to avoid being run over by the thing.  Once the door was shut she looked to her new cellmate.  It wasn't moving.  Caution high she slowly made her way to the limp pile of rags.  Lifting the bottom one up she revealed more rags two arms, the person was humanoid, there were two armbands with strange markings on them, and eventually a face, one that looked as filthy as she was.  The eyes were wide open.  'Oh no!'  Putting her hand to the woman's (?) throat she determined that she was sharing a cell with a dead woman…literally.  Looking the outfit over she could tell that it was warmer than what she was sporting.  And knowing that the dead wouldn't care if she stole the extra clothing…or in this case if she did was unable to do anything about it.  Bulma pulled the coverlet off the dead body.  'This thing is a _tent_.'  She thought holding it out and trying to figure out how one wore it.  Never did the thought of that the way the other female was dressed may signify something.  She only thought of the fact she was for the first time in years, warm.  Finding that the part that covered her face was only a giant hood she pulled it back, guilt had formed inside of her.  Had she died because she had dodged her, thus she had hit the wall instead of her?  Looking back to the body she found that the girl had many broken ribs.  A few she had no doubt in that they had punctured her lungs.  'Well I didn't kill her.  She got a punch just like I did and wasn't so lucky…or maybe she _was_ lucky.'  Her thoughts were dark but that was only until the meal came.  And for the first time in an even longer while Bulma was able to fill her belly.

After having drug the limp and stiffening body into a corner she sat and resumed with the only thing she had to do.  Listen to the men outside her door and work on figuring out the language.  It wasn't easy but she had always been goo at things like this.  So far she had figured that they spoke 'standard' or what was the most commonly used tongue.  The only thing that saved her was that it was in a way a cross of any languages she knew.  Most of what she heard was the night before sex stories and other related tales.  She found out that the lizard prick was called Frieze.  Or rather _Lord_ Frieze, and that he was very powerful.  Though she had already known that, she could sense ki.  Obviously that was not such a common thing in space.  Not that it had been on _her_ planet but with her group of friends it was a relatively common thing.  

Back to the topic at hand, she found out that they just were being lazy and hadn't found a buyer in need of a scrawny arena fighter such as herself.  She was dozing when the door opened.  Before she could move she found herself thrown over the shoulder of a guard.  He was making comments about the monkeys she was going to.  After a few moments she figured out that he thought she was the other girl.  'Meaning he won't expect me to be any danger.  Time to escape.'  With the cloak covering nearly all her body she had no fear of him seeing what she was doing until it was too late.

"Stop squirming or I'll let you have it like before."  He ordered as she felt her spine twist into a new shape.  So this was the killer of the rotting corpse in her cell.  

'Save me on the guilt of killing him.'  She felt the itch of hair sprouting and piercing of her claws forming on her paws.  No longer did she possess hands and feet.  Flicking her head back she threw the hood off her newly formed muzzle, he only saw the wildcat head before she clamped her jaws on his throat.  He tried to scream but she had ruined his vocal cords.  Keeping her teeth clamped together she felt him die in her mouth.  When done she backed up, licking her chops she gave a low growl.  Blood was pooling around her kill but she dared not stick around.  Turning tale she hardly noticed the trail of paw prints she was making.  Each one blood red for the reason she had stepped in the pool.  It was awkward to move, her clothes were still on her body, making free movement difficult.  She dared not rip them or she would be in the nude when she returned to her human form.  Keeping in her form she had yet to ever know what she looked like, she knew her fur was black as coal, and that she resembled a cougar.  But she was bigger, and more powerful than any cat of the wild that was of Chikyuu.  Looking around she soon found the room she wanted, the control room.  Using her tale to hit the pad the door soon slid open, revealing an empty chamber.  Letting it close behind her she let her body resume its natural form, always she had to force her tale to retract, it became more and difficult to complete the reverse process.  It always became difficult when she wanted to rid herself of the tale, so she in turn refused to transform unless she had no other option.  This had been one of those few, rare times.  

Quickly figuring out how to use the computers surrounding her she cherished the feeling that she was doing what she had been born to do.  Looking over the slave records she quickly found herself and 18.  Finding where 18 was she saw that it was to a fight ship.  Just as ordered.  Glancing at whom she had been sent with she found no familiar names.  Following up with 18 she was amused to find that she had already been sold to another ship due to impudence.  'This could get annoying.'  She thought finding out where the older girl had been sent to, she nearly balked when she saw the first name under her friends.  

Chi-Chi PanàRank one fighter.

_What do you think?  Was I busy or what?  Review.  You know the drill._

~BUM~


	5. One Happy Family

'She's Alive.'  She thought stunned.  Weren't they all dead?  Desperation keyed her as her fingers flew across the alien boards.  Screw that she couldn't read the language, yet, she understood photos and computer readouts.  She found learning programs and translator systems.  Downloading all she could find she kept gathering records into the portable disk that she had nabbed from the table.  Grabbing the helmet she programmed the computer to download all the languages into her mind.  It took most of the day and she knew she had missed two meals when it finished.  Unable to have used to computer system that was feeding her the many languages of space she used the catalog system of the entire inventory that had been taken from various conquests.  It took her no time at all to find the loot from Gero's space station.  And the air pipe delivery system took only a few trips to deliver all the capsules to her.  She spent the most of her hours figuring out what was in each one if it was labeled and uncovering her personal ones.  She decided to save the rest for later when the download system finished.  Instantly all the symbols made sense, and so did the camera displaying the goings on in the docking bay.  Enlarging the screen she felt her heart stop.  The Z-team, all terribly thin, and Goku?  He was with three others, dressed differently, and beaten badly.  The Ginyu fool who had trashed the majority of the labs was bragging to the near dead quartet.  Staying only long enough to pull up a map to get her to the bay she was soon racing down the halls.  Personal toy in hand, her gun/phazor.  Ki or not this would pack a punch to any ass that dare get in her way.  As she proved to the four-eyed geek and the orange skinned pimp that had been blocking her way.  And since the doors leading to her destination were locked she used her second favorite battle accessory, explosives, to open it.  It worked like a charm.  Distracting the purple bragging dork and giving her ample time to knock him out.  She knew he was strong, thus would not be out for long.  Turning she aimed to the alarm system that was harming her sensitive ears.  It went up in smoke and explosions as well.  

Looking to the voice she winked at the ex-desert bandit.  With a few well-aimed shots she had Yamcha, Krillin, and Tien freed from the ki repressors.  They gave her all looks of gratitude before she gave her orders.  "Z-team defensive unit now!"  Guards were already piling into the bay and she knew she had no time to waste.  Running to the fallen body of Goku she began pulling him into the nearest ship.  Not knowing why she did the same with the other three men he had been with.  Starting with the smallest one, Soon Krillin was by her side as she dragged the bald man up the ramp as well.  A bleeding Tien and Yamcha brought the last figure up, hitting the close button they were soon safe for the moment.  Taking toe the controls she ignored her newly discovered friends.  She needed to get them safe first; Gero had traveled all over the place in her time with him.  She knew exactly where to go.  Not daring to put in the co-ordinates she gave the ship the general direction to go.  Ripping plates off of the computer hardware she began disabling the few tracking systems built into the ship.  A few scans and some common sense and she was rid of them all.  Returning to her pile of men she saw that all were unconscious, and bleeding badly.  Looking around the tiny ship she saw the opening to the tiny medical bay.  One by one she filled the regeneration tanks.  Typing them to work she had three bodies left, the three she knew nothing of.  'I'm only helping you since you're with Son-kun.'  She thought while removing the armor of the first one.  All three she had, by some miracle, lifted onto the cots.  Now she had to tend to them.  It didn't help that she was ready to drop with fatigue.  The languages she had acquired had taken a lot out of her, but her will was enough to let her continue.  

18 glared at the male who dared try and touch her.  Looking up she tried not to worry for the girl she had taken as a little sister.  Bulma was alone in a ship full of horny men.  And 18 may not have seen her clean in quite a few years but she knew that Bulma was a looker.  With nothing better to do she began to bang her head against the wall she hardly noticed the sound she was making.  

"Whoever is making that noise quit!"  One voice ordered.  And 18 taking to orders the way she did, did _not_ listen.  "Alright you insufferable bitch."

"_What_ did you call me?"  18 growled moving to her feet.  The figure of an approaching woman was a quaint thing.  In short an excuse to beat someone and vent out her frustration.  In fact it was just _that_ reason she had been sold for a second time.  "Look here girl, only _one_ person can get away with calling me that and _you_ sure as hell ain't bluebell."  She seethed going eye to eye with the brown-eyed girl before her.   Just as they were about to rip into each other the door opened.  'Role call time.'  18 thought disgustedly.  The list was long and she didn't much pay attention to it.  

"Fighter seven-two-eight."

"She's not here."  18 called out highly amused.  "She and I were switched at Frieze's base.  I'm 18, Briefs ain't here bub."  She heard the girl gasp at her side.  But said nothing until her name was called.

"Pan Chi-Chi."

"Present!"  She drawled in a bored tone.  But the moment the guard left she turned on her.

"You mean Bulma Briefs?"   18 paused as well, did this girl know Bulma?

"Who are you?"

"Chi-Chi Pan, I'm her friend, we met when she was still just a kid, though I'm not one to talk I'm only two years her senior."

"I've heard a lot about you.  Bulma talks highly of you.  Princess of Fry Pan Mountain."  In what time they could have harmed the other the one called Chi-Chi had proved her identity and convinced herself that 18 actually _was_ a friend of Bulma.  "She's out there, causing trouble no doubt."  She mused leaning beside the girl who was the unspoken in charge of the other fighters.  

"If not she'd dead.  Bulma never does anything half ass."  Chi-Chi added gravely.  Both knew that they had someone to trust now.  One having craved it, the other having missed the company she had grown used to.  Both knew that they would not be alone for a while.  Neither knew that they would have one long trip ahead of them.

Well?  The next chapter holds a bath and a little confrontation between prince and Chikyuu native.  Sparks will fly, scathing words thrown about.  Can't you wait?  

_REVIEW!!!!!!!!_

~BUM~


	6. You Be Who??

Looking to all the bodies around her she shivered.  The ship had been in need of repairs.  Nothing she couldn't fix, and naught that needed tending immediately.  Moving back into the control room she saw one door.  Opening it she revealed a bedroom.  The only other part to the room was a bathing chamber, one that was instantly put to good use.  Running the water she began to strip.  There was a separate shower and bath; she planned on using the bath to wash her clothes in, soaking them while she showered.  Tossing them in the soapy water she decided that the shower would have to wait.  With much Scrubbing and many a refilling of the tub she had them by no means spotless, but at least as clean as they would ever be able to get and no longer smelly.  Moving to the shower she relished the feeling of water running down her body.  She scrubbed until her skin protested the slightest touch.  She felt like crying, her skin had stained, she was a mixture of black purple and blue.  And it by no means was attractive, the colors looked disgusting and made her appear as if she were on big bruise.  Disheartened she pulled her still damp clothes on she returned to the medical lab.  The ship was shaped similarly to a boomerang.  The far right holding the bathing area, middle the controls that operated the ship, the right was the medical portion of the ship.  It was a ship of speed, for either message and or wounded.  Good thing, it meant she didn't have to worry about pursuit.  Taking the only free cot left she pulled the covers over herself.  Tomorrow was another day, and that was how she had learned to live them.  Day by day, one at a time.

Weakly Vegeta took in his predicament.  He was not in a filthy cell as punishment, or in a regeneration tank.  The sound of one person moving around told him that he was not alone.  Opening his eyes he stretched his mind.  Radditz and Napa were unconscious but not un-wake-able.  They would have to take rounds on being awake.  Kakkarrot was in a tank; he could feel that the youngest man was alive but far to deep in the mind numbing liquid to be of any help.  Cracking one eye open he saw the blurred figure pass by him.  Pausing at the tanks in its progress.  Vision clearing he saw that the coverlet over the body was of the Sayain concubine variety.  But her arms were bare of the bands that marked her as one as well.  It was very confusing, fatigue returning he let sleep pull him under.  He was too far gone to fight his body and what it needed to do to get better.  

She knew that she had been hurt.  The night before had been too full of action for her to notice.  But as her body ached from the slightest breath she knew she was injured more deeply than she had thought..  But ignored it, pushing the needs of the others before her own.  Tossing the parka off of herself she felt the heat of the room touch her skin.  After inventory of the ship she discovered all the air, food, and fuel to have already have been replenished.  She had already fixed the tracking system and was currently at work with the temperature control.  She was thankful that she had her tool kit with her in one of her many capsules.  With a few more tightening bolts with her wrench she was finished.  It was only time until the rooms cooled and they were comfortable again.  Getting up she stretched her aching body.  Limping slightly she moved across the floating figures of her childhood friends, stopping at the last one.  She nearly jumped out of her skin when she was met with open eyes and for a moment they only looked at each other.  Did he recognize her?  The others hadn't, she wasn't even sure if they knew who she was now.  She couldn't really blame them but it hurt all the same.

"Hi."  She started not knowing if he could hear her.  "Do you know where you are?"  She started, using the easy questions first.  He nodded.  "Do you know who I am?"  Hope cracked her voice.  She felt a prod at her ki and his eyes widened.

"Bulma?"  The voice was warped slightly due to the machine but she heard and understood him perfectly she felt like crying.  

"Hi Goku."  Falling to her knees she put a hand against the glass.  "Been a while hasn't it?"

"Bulma, the others."

"The team?  I have them here too, in the other tanks.  Goku…Roshi I found him he, he's, he died in my arms Goku.  I couldn't do anything for him."  She felt like breaking down but he soothed her tortured spirit.  

"I know Bulma, I found him.  I missed you somehow though.  Bulma I have to ask.  The others I was with.  Where are they?"

"On the beds.  I didn't leave them behind if that's what you're asking."

"The short one Bulma how is he?"

"Alive, not the best of the three but not as bad as you were."  In all her life she had never heard Goku's voice so demanding.

"Bulma get me out of here and put him in."  It was an order she was not going to obey.

"No, if I take you out of there you'll die.  I barely got you _in_ there in time.  He can wait."  She heard him growl and she moved to her feet, giving her height over his injured figure.  Fixed with her best glare she finished.  "I'm not letting you out of there until I'm sure you could survive without that things help.  But I'll make you a deal.  The moment you're well enough I'll let you out and I'll put him in, fair deal?"  He grumbled and complained but agreed all the same, she wasn't giving him much of a choice.  She didn't dare tell him of Chi-Chi.  Or he may very well blow the thing up to go out and save her.  She felt like she was betraying him in the action but knew it for his best interest.  Soon he was asleep, and from what she could tell more relaxed than what he had been when she first looked upon him that day.  She could understand why.  She was there, he was safe for the time being and so were his friends.  

He watched the creature in wonder.  She had spoken with the third class in the tongue he had used when he had first been found.  He could feel no stress from him but little else.  Did that mean she was of no danger, or that he was too drugged to know otherwise?  He was unable to stay awake long as she moved from Napa and to Radditz.  She seemed to do nothing more then to care for their injuries.  He closed his eyes when she reached him, other than checking his vitals and replacing old bandages she did nothing to him.  When next he saw her she was resting in the medical bed to his right.  The presence tugging at his mind was present again, stronger than before.  Was she the cause of it?  He wasn't sure, but if she _was_ the cause then trouble would be coming his way.  Darkness claimed him soon, his body forcing his mind to rest.  Some things even a Sayain _Prince_ could not fight.  Something he would learn much of in the coming weeks.

Well?  What do you think.  In my next chapter they shall talk.  And she will develop a wish to have left a certain few Sayains behind.  But what of Chi-Chi and 18?  Well I guess there's only one way to find out.  REVIEW AND READ THE Next chapter in that order please.

~BUM~


	7. You're No Catch Either

Rolling over she felt her vision swim.  With a few stumbling steps she made her way to the basin that wasn't too far from her cot.  Soon the remains of her meal from the last time she had been awake decided to greet her.  Coughing slightly after her stomach had emptied itself she caught site of the blood.  Many explanations ran through her mind, injury, withdrawal of the drugs she had been so used to receiving.  Not all of them had been a daily infusion.  Running her head under the cold water of the faucet she felt the pounding of her head lessen until it was no more than an easily forgettable dull throbbing in the back of her mind.  Knowing she wouldn't be able to contain food for a while she forced her pained body to do her rituals.  Help the sick; tend to the wounded, everyday miracles.  

'I'm losing it.'  She thought not for the first time.  For a week she had gone through the same routine.  Tend to the three Goku begged her to.  Avoid the two large ones when awake.  She did not appreciate the groping of their beefy hands and would sooner grow her tail and hang herself with it than do what their eyes told her they wanted her to do.  The third one never wakened, or if he did, not when she was awake.  She slept more and more, feeling weaker with each passing day.  Goku would be out soon, she would tell him of Chi-Chi and 18.  He would leave and she would be alone.  If she hadn't given up on thinking about it she might have cried, the thought of being alone was that depressing.  'Tears do nothing but make your eyes red and waste precious water.'  She thought, thought as one who had often had to ration her food for unknown lengths of time.  Checking to see that the bald man was indeed asleep she unwrapped the jagged gash that was on his arm.  She winced slightly when she saw the swollen limb and the unnatural color it had turned.  Preparing a needle she readied to operate.  The needle would only dull the pain.

She pushed the needle into his commander's arm with a steady hand that bespoke years of experience.  But just as she raised the scalpel he saw her eyes dilate, and he was sure that if her skin could change colors it would have been pale.  She dropped the blade back to the pile of medical supplies and stumbled for the sink.  He heard her empty her belly followed by much coughing.  After a while it was quiet, the sound of running water followed and the smell of her bowl vanished.  When she returned to his view he saw her shaking from the aftermath of her illness.  But with a few breaths she was once again tending to the oldest surviving Sayain.  As if nothing had happened.  Over the course of the next hour he watched as she drained the puss from the enflamed arm until the blood ran red.  She did all that could be done to prevent further infection.  As she passed by him, to no doubt go to her cot, his arm shot out and his hand curled around her wrist.  She looked to him wide eyed and resisted when he pulled her to the side of his bed.  Once she was sitting on it he stopped pulling, but by no means let go of her.  

"Why?"  He croaked out, just then discovering that his voice was just above unusable.  

"Don't speak, whoever was trying to choke you did a number on your throat.  Consider yourself lucky that your vocal cords are still in tact, bruised at most.  Why you're here or why I helped?  For the first one it is because I saved your sorry ass.  As for the second, you may thank the youngest of you four for that.  I helped you because you were with him.  Then because he asked me to."  She was quiet a moment and he released her wrist.  She made no movement to leave.  

'She is the ugliest creature I have ever seen.'  He thought, looking her over, but oddly she did not repulse him.

You're no catch yourself you know.  She remarked, but what caught him off guard was that she had done so in his head.  With a quick check he could see that she had done it through his top shielding.  She had narrowed her eyes at him in a glare that would match his own.  She gave a light curl of her lips and stood in one fluid motion and was soon on the other side of the room, out of his reach.  "Remember Vegeta."  She warned, using his name that he had no idea that she new of.  "I am not going to put up with the shit you three have been giving me."  Turning he watched her stride out of the room.  Not hearing her fall to the floor in pain as she left his sight.

Her nerves burned and she knew that she was growing more ill with each passing hour.  Screw the fact that she had no one to help her, she could only pray that her system would fight off whatever ailed her until Goku or one of the others was better.  Then she could die or live or whatever.  All she had to do was survive long enough to ensure her friends survival.

Well what do you all think?  A little shorter but in the next one Goku gets out of the tank.  Any suggestions to what people would like to see?  I might put them in if I like them.  Just place ideas in the reviews.  THANTKYOU

~BUM~


	8. In You Go

"Woman watch what you're doing!"  Vegeta barked as she continued to stitch the wound that ran across his chest.

"Well if you didn't move I wouldn't have to patch you up so much!"  She shouted back, face not more than six inches from his.  'I really wish his throat hadn't healed so quickly, and to think I was wanting for someone to talk to.'  She was too tired to give curtsies to the brute.  She was too tired and ready to pass out as it was, so it was no surprise that she was making no effort to rein in her viper tongue.  Holding in the rib-cracking cough that she felt coming she tied the last not.  "Don't move for the next day and that will heal with no more need for me to do this again."  She whispered huskily, her throat closing in.  Moving as fast as she could she left for the only real room that was aboard the ship.  As soon as the door shut behind her she collapsed in a fit of coughs that left her choking for air and blood dripping off her chin.  With trembling arms she pulled herself to her feet via the bed.  With trembling steps she made it to the shower stall and turned the water on, but fell to what suspiciously resembled a toilet from home and relived her days previous meals.  She was dismayed to find that not much of it had been digested over the day.  Her condition was deteriorating and accelerating.  'In short I'm dieing, I guess I became dependant on some of those drugs after all.  Though which one she hadn't the faintest idea as to where to begin.  Not bothering to strip her clothes off she stumbled into the spray of water that warmed her freezing body.  Trembling in need of warmth she rubbed her body with daft hands, trying to force warmth into her bones.  Slowly it worked she hardly noticed that the water was purely on hot, or that had he skin been normal it would have been as red as a tomato.  Only that she felt better than she had before.  'This is becoming too common a thing.'  She thought pulling her drenched clothes from her body, taking care to keep the water on her figure, throwing the sopping pile into the corner she mentally promised herself that she would tend to them later. Reaching though the weak field that was powerful enough to halt the water from spilling out into the bathroom yet weak enough for her to cross through she reached for a towel.  Aimless since the second she stepped through said shield she would be dry as a desert.  'Thank Kami for lotion then.'  She praised silently to her deceased god.  'Once finished with replenishing her skins moisture she pulled on a gi.  The only thing that had been clean in the bag she had found.  She had yet to figure out what to do with her growing pile of laundry.  She couldn't wear Krillin's old things and Chi-Chi hadn't left much stuff for Bulma to stash.  Thus she had very little to where, and to top off al her problems she felt awkward in anything other than what she had worn for her time of torment under Gero.  The irony was too great.  Spending day in and day out wishing for new clothes but feeling odd once given the option of new garments.  

She was weakening, he didn't know how he knew but he did.  Her upheavals of food were growing more constant along with her coughing fits.  Oh she never let him see her in those moments of weakness.  And the two idiots he called partners were oblivious to the fact.  Only grumbling that she was too strong willed and thought by far too highly of herself.  He could agree but then again. The same could be said for both warriors.  From what he could tell Kakkarrot would be free of the tank soon.  And if he had heard correctly from her mutterings he was the next to be put in.  'Odd, I would think she would tend to herself.  She seems to trust Kakkarrot above us all.'  He thought watching as she reentered the room she had just bathed again.  He could tell from the scent of water, and that lotion she rubbed over herself every time she did so.  She was odd but he still found himself drawn to her.  Chin up, eyes of pride, and a wit to match her tongue.  She didn't back down and he had the feeling she never would without having already or vowing to do something else.  All in all she was the one female to have held his interest for such a long bout of time.  Though that may have been due to the fact that she was the only one he had seen for a while.  But even under the cover of her skin cream he could smell that she was sick.  Her thinning figure helped little as well, though at the moment it was hard to tell if she was thin, her out fit was that large on her.  It was then that he remembered seeing the uniform before.

***He couldn't have been much younger than Radditz, though his power was clearly already double that of the third class.  He wore a bright orange outfit with an odd marking just over his heart.  He fought and protested against the combined strength of Napa and Radditz.***

Blinking a few times he inspected the outfit with more thought.  It was the same, not torn or dirtied but the same design.  He couldn't tell if the symbol was the same as Kakkarrot's had been but it was similar.  Narrowing his eyes in suspicion he waited for her to look his way.  He would get the information out of her.  But she seemed more interested in the regen tanks.  Checking in on the men she had deemed more important than himself to place in them.  Finally she ended at the Sayain and she nearly fell back.  The door opened and the smell of the regen liquid filled the room and soon a nude Kakkarrot left the tank.  The girl looked to her side, he got the distinct impression that she was embarrassed and a blush would have graced her skin had that been possible for her.  She lifted something from the floor and held it out for Kakkarrot.  He said something in her tongue and she nodded.  Heading towards him as the third class pulled the clothes on that she had given him.  He felt oddly satisfied when she made no move to look back or peek at the dressing Sayain.  

"All right you ass, as promised it is your turn for the water bubble."  She stated trying to pull him into a sitting position.  It looked as if the action was tiring for her, yet he had felt her pull stronger than this before.  She _had_ after all gotten them onto the beds and into the tanks.  Soon the youngest surviving Sayain was at her side.  It was also then she fell to her knees and began to cough.  He looked down to find blood dripping from her fingers as she covered her mouth.  She was in worst shape than he thought her to be.

When she fell he had no idea as to what to thing.  But when the blood began to come from her mouth he knew she was more ill than he had thought her to be.  He should have known, her ki had been dimmer and weaker than usual.  Her eyes losing the sparkle and sense of life they normally possessed.  But most of all it was the way she moved, slowly and as if every step caused her pain.  "Bulma!"  Pulling her up he gently rubbed her back, trying to calm her attack.  Once she calmed he turned her to face him.  "How long has this been happening?"  He demanded, she gave him an incredulous look.  He could understand, never had she been one to take orders, least of all from him.  

"Not long."  She mumbled, softly.  He knew it to be a lie.  "Not much longer."  She finished, softly, resting her face against his bare chest.  He knew rather than felt that she was no longer really thinking, she was ill and she had no intention of fighting any longer.

"Kakkarrot put her in."  Vegeta ordered as he was already thinking that very action.  He knew he had intended to put Vegeta in next.  But with Bulma's current illness he figured the prince could wait.  He considered ripping the clothes of her but decided that he could still fit into them.  Puling them off her he was oblivious to the fact that she wore no underclothes.  She was Bulma, a sister of his heart.  And so to his way of thinking was not female in the sense that he would be attracted to her.  Setting her in with great care he cursed the machine when it told him that the solution was being cleansed and that he had roughly an hour before it would be ready.  Closing it he set the thing to start the moment it was ready.  And in one of his brightest moments he had the tact to place a blanket over the window.  Hiding her from the prying eyes of his comrades.  He didn't know about Vegeta but he had seen the looks from Napa and Radditz given to her.  They were desperate.  Making them dangerous to her, turning to the strongest of the quartet he met eyes with the shorter man.  

"What the hell is going on in this ship?"

                Well?  What do you think?  Finally I know, well deal with it, a little waiting never hurt anyone.  A lot can kill maybe but not a little but whatever.  REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

_Tell me what you think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

~BUM~


	9. Connect Black Wire With Blue Wire

The Flying Pen---à**One question: how the heck does Bulma turn into a feline**?  Answer to question.  Yes Bulma turns into the giant fighting cat.  Sort of like in animorphs but she can control what and how much she transforms.

            **Did Gero work on her?** -àYes, Bulma was one of his favorite experiment toys.  Thus her ruined complexion.  From filth and such being punctured into her skin.  Though not as far as a tattoo.

By the way The Flying Pen

I LOVE UR FIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Goku frowned through most of the story he was told.  Vegeta in truth knew very little of what had been going on and he could tell that most of the information was through observation.  Bulma was sick, his friends were all recovering from massive malnutrition and ki use and in truth he could do very little at the moment.  Even sparring was futile; he had no weights, no partner, and no means to reach a planet with higher gravity.  In short he had little else to do then tend to the injured Sayains and make sure all went well with the ones in the tanks.  Looking to the list of things wrong with her he had to wonder how she was still breathing.  More toxins and poisons in her system then some planets even _knew_ of.  She was addicted, though he was sure not by choice, to a few.  Withdrawal being the major factor of what she had been suffering from.  The blanket was no longer needed to hide her from prying eyes.  The water had fogged over taking in all the toxins and poisons from her system, and he hoped her skin.  She had been vain, but never rudely so.  

She had known of her looks and was proud of them, but they hadn't ever been her life.  He had met quite a few women that thought their looks would get them out of whatever mess they were in or whatever they wanted.  Bulma relied on her self, but knew when she needed help.  However begrudgingly she may accept the help.  Handing the info on his friend over to the prince he watched as the older man's eyes widened.  "How is she breathing?"  He finally questioned, only after a long list of expletives.  

"She's stubborn, more so than any other I know, you included.  And strong, not in your sense of the word but in will."  He faltered a moment, debating if he would tell more of what was not his right to give.  "She was at the mercy of one of our old foes.  She and I have known each other a long time Vegeta, and her punishment for having opposed him was to become his science experiment.  The result is as you see her now."

He looked to his sparring partner and knew there was much not being said.  "She is from your planet?"  A nod was his only answer.  "Is she also of your childhood?"  Kakkarrot nodded once again.  Forcing his voice to remain neutral he asked a third time.  "Your mate then?"

"What!  No way!  She…we she isn't my type and I'm not hers I would much rather have, Ch."  He cut himself off at that.  Vegeta didn't not pry further to what would have been said.  But the woman he wanted to know more about.  

"Who is she Kakkarrot?"

"A friend."

"Kakkarrot."

"Vegeta, she has pride, my baring her torments, that I know of them would rip what's left of it to shreds.  Not to forget that whatever trust we still hold of each other would be ruined."  Vegeta had always known the third class to be loyal.  His statement just reaffirmed it.

"Then tell me of what would not ruin her pride."  He was curious, and he would get his answers.  The younger man's shoulder slumped in defeat.

"She was the only child to the most highly regarded scientist of the planet.  She had everything, wealth, her mother's beauty and her father's brains.  From a young age she was inventing things.  She went off on an adventure in her mid teens, and found me.  We were friends from then on."  He wasn't dumb, BIG chunks had been edited from the story.  But he also knew he had no real chance of pulling information out of the other man, not in his weakened state, not even at his best.  They were in a silent staring contest when a voice spread out into the room; only it was in their heads.  

Goku. Stress was felt in the minds voice.  Kakkarrot looked just as stunned as Vegeta.  Turn this damn thing up.  I'm, losing, control.  No questions were asked, the action was done.  Thanks.  The voice left at that, leaving both to wonder.  

"You didn't say she was a telepath."

"I didn't know."  Was the quiet reply.

She felt them.  Moving about, well Vegeta and Goku at least.  She felt tired.  But there was no pain; she had forgotten what that was like.  It was nice in its own odd way.  She knew the chemicals had tried to override her control, she hadn't even thought of Gero having a toxin that would force her to transform.  She had held it off as best she could until the purification process she was in had destroyed it.  But the fact that she could feel her full-grown tail brushing against her legs was not something she was pleased with.  But compared to alternatives she was grateful.  She knew a firing squad of questions awaited her on the outside, and she also knew that she was going to answer them even though she didn't want to.  Life sucked.

"Goku?"  She called out trying to figure out who was awake and who was on guard.

Asleep onna.  She heard in her head.  Glaring she forced her shields up.  Pathetic.

"Ya well I learned this all on my own before going insane."  She retorted.  Refusing to use her telekinesis.  "So I think I did damn well considering how I came about the discovery.  Where's Go-Kakkarrot?"  She received no response.  "Vegeta, where's my friend?"

Mentally onna.  She could just _see_ the smug look on the bastards face.  She didn't want to give in to him but wanted the company of her friend much more than her pride could fight.  

Where's Kakkarrot?  She had to force her thoughts to name Goku by what she had figured to be his Sayain name.

Resting.  He needs sleep too you know.

No shit Sherlock.  She shot back, letting the acid of her mind voice tell him how unhappy she was.  She frowned slightly when she tried to cut off the connection allowing her to communicate with him.  It wasn't closing, not all the way .  What the hell have you done?  This was bad, she knew that she held little control over her mind powers.  And after dealing with Vegeta for this short time she could tell that there was a large difference between his level of control and hers.  It made her jealous and frightened at the same time.  Anger laced its way through when she discovered that he was sensing her emotions as well.  

Done?  Onna I haven't done.  He cut himself off when he too noticed the inability to close her out.  What the hell?

My sentiments exactly cactus head.  She growled mentally.  Somehow finding it reasonable to blame this all on him.  How do you turn this thing _off_?  

"What's going on?"  The voice was music to her ears.  

"Goku!"  She called out, hearing the odd sound of her voice coming through the air mask finally reach his ears.  "Get me out of this thing!  Find me something to wear first though."  She ordered.

Onna you can't order my solider around.  Vegeta began.  

Kiss my ass Sayain.  I've known him longer than you have.  If she could have she would have stuck her tongue out at him.  She was distracted when the water began to sink around her.  As it did this she could see that there was a cover over the window.  She smiled slightly at the thoughtfulness of her friend.  As the door lifted she saw a hand hold out what looked suspiciously like her old snow coat.  Soon it was drowning her, her mother had bought the wrong size, the hood over her head and the hem at her feet she couldn't help but laugh.

"Found my capsule case didn't you Goku?"  She let out dryly. 

"I burned those thing you were wearing before.  You can go change in the room if you want."  She was ready to have a heart attack when he went back to true Goku style.  "And I can't close all those witch bombs.  You'll have to do it."

"Thank you Goku."  She smiled, knowing he couldn't see it.  Doing her best to ignore the freezing floor she was soon in the bedroom.  Only to meet a mess of opened capsules.  Vehicles to clothes, all she could do was smile fondly and shake her head.  Closing a car and motor bike she was soon digging through a pile of clothes.  It seemed Goku had found some way to clean her things and she could start anew in ruining them.  After tying her laces she searched for a brush.  She spent the better half of an hour brushing her hair free of tangles.  She hadn't bothered before and after finding that all filth had been rid from it she was more than willing to indulge herself in her over weaned vanity.  When done she looked to the mirror, and gasped.

Well what do you think?  I like it.  Not much happening I know, well Goku should go harring off onto the rescue of his love (Chi-Chi) soon so worry not.  REVIEW!!!

~BUM~


	10. A Changer Here, a Change Here, and Here ...

To her waist was blue hair, the same color as her eyes.  Her skin was pale white in a way that looked unhealthy, she could handle that later.  'I'm older.'  She noted, stating the obvious.  But in a way she wondered if 18 would recognize her.  "18!"  Racing out the door she nearly collided with her friend.  

"Goku!"  He held her tight in a hug that pushed the breath from her.  

"What's wrong?"

"You need to leave!"

"_What_?"

"My friend 18 was put on a fight ship.  But that's not all.  I found Chi." He paled and suddenly he was all business.

"What?"  His voice was deadpan and in a few words possible she explained whereabouts her friends were.  The escape pod would fit him with the two extra women, it meant that she couldn't go though.  "Bulma you, it isn't-."

"You're going if I have to knock you out and get you in there myself."  Her tone booked no arguments and he stepped back.  "I've made it this far and I doubt they."  She gestured to the three man audience.  "Can do much more to me that hasn't already been done."  Her tail was flying too and froe behind her as proof of her emotions she noticed Goku's distraction.

"I'll explain to you in more specific detail later.  _When_ you get back with them.  You need to know that 18 will trust you about as much as I do Gero.  Tell her who you are, we've talked enough for her to know you.  She'll probably have you prove it.  I don't know anything about Chi-Chi.  I just know that they mixed 18 and I up and placed 18 on that fight ship and not me.  I found Chi-Chi when I was looking at the records.  She seems to be doing well enough but I'm sure she won't mind you rescuing her.  If you can't find the ship go here."  She produced some paper and a pen from her pockets and began to write out a co-ordinates.  "This is where everyone went when we fled Chikyuu.  Head there ok?"

"Kakkarrot."  She looked to Vegeta, Goku did as well.

"I'll go get the pod ready, you can talk to him with about as much privacy as you get here while I'm gone."  

Once she was out of hearing range he spoke.  "What is it that's making you rush out of here like a damned fool?"  

"She knows where Chi-Chi is.  I have to get her."  His tone told more.  This 'Chi-Chi' was his mate.  "Promise me you'll protect Bulma.  She likes to think she can handle you guys, she is as you've noticed not high on the ki scale."  Vegeta nodded.  He knew where Radditz and Napa's tastes lay.  He did not follow in the forcing a woman to share her company.  

"Can we trust her to run this ship properly?"

"She's a technical genius.  You should be worrying over how much of it she'll take apart before you land."  The amusement in the third class's voice was far from being unheard.  "At any rate that's what she's been doing since she rescued us.  It's hard to predict anything from Bulma.  Gero learned that and so did the Red Ribbon Army."

Chi-Chi kept her eyes on her opponent as she wiped the blood from her lip.  There weren't any matches scheduled for her for a good couple of weeks.  18 had graciously offered to be her sparring partner and they had both stunned the rest of the crew and fighters.  18 wasn't looking any better than herself, even with the technical additions to her form.  

'Of course this is the first time I've used my pan to fight with.'  Thinking of said cooking instrument she twirled the pan and launched it at the blonde's head.  As predicted she ducked and Chi-Chi reintroduced her foot the android's abs.  Of course she had to dodge the metal hammer that was 18's fist.  She welcomed the change of fighting roles.  Normally she fought mindless creatures or fighters who thought female warriors were next to impossible.  18 respected her and they paired against each other by choice and not spite.  They were both in the process of throwing punches when the ship rocked.  Sending many to the floor, _she_ however managed to keep her balance.  As the back up generators came on she knew that many captives had already taken their chance to escape.  It wouldn't work; she had tried many times and bore the scars of capture for proof.  

"What the hell?"  18 looked around at the chaos with thinly veiled disgust.  "How do we know this isn't just a test.  Gero had those every so often.  We never knew when there was actually a problem or if he was toying with us."  Chi-Chi hated to think over what life under the mad scientist must have been like for her newfound friend along with her old one.  Bulma had enjoyed mental games, but there was a difference between games and torture.  She made sure never to go past taunting.  

"They don't have tests."  She explained pulling the blond out of the center ring.  The best they could do was act as if it were an earthquake and get somewhere safe.  "But they have a lot of crap ready for escape attempts.  Trust me on that one."  

The brown eyes she looked into didn't lie.  'So you've tried to run before.'  She didn't think any less of the princess for not running at this point.  Neither of them was ready, and if the girl _had_ had a plan in mind taking a second with her would have thrown it away.  

"So how long do you think this will last?"  Explosions echoed down the halls, as they held tight to the archway.  The raven-haired fighter said nothing, only looked towards the ceiling with wide eyes.  Chi-Chi had told her earlier than she had kept her minor ki abilities hidden.  So it was a great surprise when she flared, as if trying to signal another to her location.  

Unfortunately all it did was attract the attention of one of the guards.  It started to spout of orders, at least she assumed, in some language that was closer to the sounds of grinding metal than speech.  Both women demonstrated the talent of their middle finger without glancing at the other.  "Just a little longer."  

"What are you doing?"  The guard was taking aim at them and she knew from experience that the beam his gun would shoot out would hurt like hell.  Before a response could be said part of the ceiling collapsed.  Affectively stunning their captor and allowing a body to float down.  Not caring that her readings said the man was more powerful than her she fell into a ready stance.  Glancing at Chi-Chi from the corner of her eye she saw that she was in a state of shock.  

Acting on pure instinct he forgot the blond and phased to her side.  Taking her smaller form into his arms he gave her their first true kiss.  It took all his restraint to not continue down the path his instincts screamed for.  Still holding Chi-Chi close he looked to the blond.

"Are you 18."

"That would be my age."  Her blue eyes had narrowed and she obviously wasn't going to give him the benefit of the doubt.  

"I meant is that your name, Bulma told me to come back with you or else."  Ice eyes widened the recognition lit them.

"You're Goku correct?"  No more had to be said after that.  Chi-Chi was all the vouch he needed and she was quite willingly pressed to his side as they crammed into the ship.  He wasn't surprised to find that Bulma and the ship were out of range.  Leaving him with plan B.  When the stasis sleep turned on he had mind enough to pull Chi-Chi closer and breath in her long missed scent.  

With Bulma change had always followed, and he couldn't have been happier for it than he was at the moment.  

After eternity I wrote the next part and brought all the groups together.  Aren't I just the most wonderful person on the planet???  No???  Ah well the same to you!!!  

REVIEW!!!!!!!

~BUM~


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